Dipika Pallikal and Nour El Sherbini to contest Texas title

Dipika Pallikal and Madeline Perry

Dipika Pallikal and Madeline Perry

After pulling off significant upsets in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champion Fiberglass Texas Open in the USA, India’s No. 4 seed Dipika Pallikal and Egyptian qualifier Nour El Sherbini have set up a final date at the Women’s Squash Association Gold 50 event at The Downtown Club at the Met in Houston.

Former Asian Junior Champion Pallikal marched into the biggest tour final of her career in sensational style. The 22-year-old world No 12 from Chennai battled for 75 minutes – enduring three tie-break games – to beat second seed Madeline Perry, the Irish number one seed ranked four places higher in the world, 11-7, 11-13, 13-11, 10-12, 11-4.

The win, which levels her tour head-to-head record with Perry to two-all, takes Pallikal into her first tour final of the year, but the 12th of her career.

El Sherbini maintained the magnificent form which saw the teenager become the youngest player in history to reach the WSA World Championship final last month when, unseeded, she scored a series of upsets in Malaysia – including the scalp of the world number one Nicol David.

In her fifth Tour meeting with third seed Camille Serme, the 18-year-old from Alexandria defeated the world No. 6 from France 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6 in 55 minutes to move into the seventh tour final of her career.

El Sherbini leapt from 27 to 13 in the WSA World Rankings after her historic World Championship run in March – and can already be sure to improve on this position in the May list.

The final will mark the third tour meeting between Pallikal and El Sherbini since June 2010 – with Pallikal looking for her maiden win.

RESULTS: Women’s Champion Fiberglass Texas Open, Houston, USA

Semi-finals:[4] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [2] Madeline Perry (IRL) 11-7, 11-13, 13-11, 10-12, 11-4 (75m)[Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [3] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6 (55m)

Texas Open images courtesy of Martin Langley

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Edited by Staff Editor